Misplaced Pages

Hobby Lobby: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 19:41, 27 May 2014 edit208.77.170.231 (talk) Opposition to Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act← Previous edit Revision as of 21:40, 27 May 2014 edit undoRJaguar3 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers19,236 edits Undid revision 610390338 by 208.77.170.231 (talk) original research, WP:UNDUENext edit →
Line 60: Line 60:


On April 1, 2014, '']'' stated that Hobby Lobby's employee retirement plan has more than $73M invested in mutual funds, some of which invest in manufacturers of contraception, including some forms which are specifically named in the complaint, even though there exist several boutique mutual funds that specifically screen companies that are not in line with their client's religious beliefs.<ref>, by Molly Redden, at '']''; published April 1, 2014; retrieved April 1, 2014</ref> On April 1, 2014, '']'' stated that Hobby Lobby's employee retirement plan has more than $73M invested in mutual funds, some of which invest in manufacturers of contraception, including some forms which are specifically named in the complaint, even though there exist several boutique mutual funds that specifically screen companies that are not in line with their client's religious beliefs.<ref>, by Molly Redden, at '']''; published April 1, 2014; retrieved April 1, 2014</ref>


Late in 2012, this long time employee of Hobby Lobby started having problems with her feet. At first it caused a slight limp, then a pronounced limp. But it was the holiday season and there was much to be done so this employee soldiered on, being on her feet all day, for some very long hours. There wwere trucks to unload, freight to sort, price and put up. A relay which means rebuilding shelves, moving stock from here to there. Inventory. The limp got worse but Employee #230698 carried on because, like most families, her paycheck was a necessity. Did other employees and management know? Yes. But nothing was said, nothing could be done as the job requires an employee to stand all day except for time off the clock. No chairs allowed in Hobby Lobby.
On April 30th, Employee #230698 was unable to put ANY weight on one foot and ended up in the emergency room. A few days off her feet and she was back at work. The problem repeated. Again and again. Finally a doctor sent her in with a note stating she had serious injuries to her feet, needed to be off her feet at least half of the time she was at work. Hopefully her foot wasn't so bad, it might heal. Would you like to know how Hobby Lobby responded? They nodded and said nothing until the end of day. Punched out and in her car on the way home, Employee #230698 got a phone call telling her not to return to work until she was ready to work as she had for 7 1/2 years before, standing all day without any consideration for her building disability. They placed her on 12 weeks UNPAID family leave and told her not to return if she couldn't work as she had when hired 7 1/2 years before. End of story. Well, Employee #230698 ended up being permanently disabled by the injury she had refused to succumb to. The cause was likely spending 8 to 12 hours a day on her feet on hard, HARD floors. A cumulative injury, hard to prove Hobby Lobby responsible, so the lawyers say. If there had been an INCIDENT, say, a FALL.... But in honesty, it was a cumulative injury that a silly woman let go too far. Now it is a permanent disability that has me in bed several days a month in severe pain, limits how far and what surfaces I can walk on (inclines really hurt) and has limited what I do day to day.
Hobby Lobby's policy in my case has been to simply ignore my workman's comp claims. ignored letters from my attorney and the state so have not paid a PENNY of my medical bills. I went over 6 months with ZERO income, went through all our savings and am unable to finish paying all the medical bills. I still owe and they are in the hands of some collection agency so my credit will take a blow.
This is a true story. I have heard of others, very similar. Don't bring a doctor's note in if you want to work for Hobby Lobby. Don't expect them to take care of you if it is going to cost them.
I can't work anymore but those medical bills should have been paid by Hobby Lobby as a workman's Comp claim. By using my husband's insurance the first day at the ER, I apparently gave Hobby Lobby an out. I didn't know it was a cumulative injury caused by the work environment. I found that out later when rest, drug therapy, physical therapy and everything else failed.
Letters to David Green go unanswered, doubt he gets them. He may be Christian but the people running Hobby Lobby don't appear to be. They are financial experts, all about the money.
I loved my job but would never say Hobby Lobby is interested in protecting their employees. They are intere$ted only in the money.


==Holiday merchandise controversy== ==Holiday merchandise controversy==

Revision as of 21:40, 27 May 2014

For the unrelated radio-controlled model dealer, see Hobby Lobby International. This article is about the company. For the lawsuit in which the company is a respondent, see Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby.
Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
Hobby Lobby in Stow, Ohio
Company typePrivately held corporation
IndustryRetail
FoundedOklahoma City, Oklahoma (August 1972 (1972-08))
Number of locations561 stores (2012)
Key people
ProductsArts and crafts supplies
RevenueIncreaseUS$ 2.28 billion (2011)
Number of employees21,000

Hobby Lobby stores are a chain of retail arts and crafts stores based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, and were formally called Hobby Lobby Creative Centers. The stores are wholly owned by the corporation and not a franchise chain. The company was founded by David Green on August 3, 1972, and as of August 2012 the chain has 561 stores nationwide. Hobby Lobby headquarters are located in a 3,400,000-square-foot (320,000 m) manufacturing, distribution, and office complex.

Business practices

Hobby Lobby stores and facilities are open for business every day except for Sunday, in accordance with the founder's Christian beliefs. Hobby Lobby plays a mixture of light jazz, classical, bluegrass, and contemporary music styles in stores, distributed by satellite from its Oklahoma headquarters. A large percentage of the music also incorporates instrumental versions of traditional Christian hymns and popular Christian songs by Zoe Girl, Vince Gill, and Jim Brickman. Rather than utilizing a barcode system, the organization uses manual pricing for ordering of product and accounting. The website states they "continue to look at and review the option of scanning at the registers but do not feel it is right for at this time."

Opposition to Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

In September 2012, Hobby Lobby filed a lawsuit against the United States over new regulations requiring health insurance provided by employers to cover emergency contraceptives, stating that, "(t)he Green family's religious beliefs forbid them from participating in, providing access to, paying for, training others to engage in, or otherwise supporting abortion-causing drugs and devices." Hobby Lobby is arguing that the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act serve to protect their religious beliefs and accordingly bars the application of the contraceptive mandate to them. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the company's application for an injunction, prompting it to sue the federal government. On July 19, 2013, the company was granted a temporary exemption from the contraceptive-providing mandate by US District Judge Joe Heaton.

On January 28, 2014, an amicus brief was filed with the Supreme Court by the Center for Inquiry. In contrast, this argues that were the court to grant Hobby Lobby an exclusion which permitted the company to exclude any specific healthcare service from its provision to employees on the basis of the owners' religious beliefs, they would violate the Establishment Clause, also part of the First Amendment. The Establishment Clause states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".

Oral arguments in the case, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby, were heard on March 25, 2014.

On April 1, 2014, Mother Jones stated that Hobby Lobby's employee retirement plan has more than $73M invested in mutual funds, some of which invest in manufacturers of contraception, including some forms which are specifically named in the complaint, even though there exist several boutique mutual funds that specifically screen companies that are not in line with their client's religious beliefs.

Holiday merchandise controversy

In September 2013, a shopper reported being told by an employee of the store in Marlboro, New Jersey, it did not carry merchandise celebrating Jewish holidays. While the store carried Christmas items, they did not carry items related to bar mitzvah, Hanukkah, or Passover. The store employee told the shopper that these items were not sold, due to the owner's Christian values. In response, Hobby Lobby apologized for the employee's comments, stating that it has carried Jewish holiday items in the past, and would do so in test areas beginning in November 2013.

References

  1. ^ "#194 Hobby Lobby Stores". Forbes.com LLC. November 16, 2011. Retrieved Dec 29, 2012.
  2. ^ "Hobby Lobby Frequently Asked Questions". Hobby Lobby. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
  3. "Store Music". Hobby Lobby. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  4. Olafson, Steve (September 13, 2012). "Hobby Lobby Sues U.S. Government Over Health Care Mandate". Chicago Tribune.
  5. Talley, Tim (September 12, 2012). "Hobby Lobby sues over morning-after pill coverage". Bloomberg Businessweek.
  6. Scudder, Mark D. (November 28, 2013). "It's Official—The Supreme Court Announces That It Will Review The Contraceptive Mandate". The National Law Review. Retrieved December 11, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. "Hobby Lobby Has Its Day in Court; Argues Case for Religious Freedom". Christianpost.com. 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  8. "Supreme Court denies Hobby Lobby request for reprieve from health care mandate". Fox News. 2012-12-26. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  9. Stempel, Jonathan (July 19, 2013). "Hobby Lobby wins a stay against birth control mandate". Reuters.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  10. "Press release - Amicus brief to Supreme Court". Center For Inquiry. January 28, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  11. http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/13-354_5436.pdf
  12. Hobby Lobby's Hypocrisy: The Company's Retirement Plan Invests in Contraception Manufacturers, by Molly Redden, at Mother Jones; published April 1, 2014; retrieved April 1, 2014
  13. Hafiz, Yasmine (October 2, 2013). "Hobby Lobby Boycotts Jewish Hanukkah And Passover - Huffington Post - October 2, 2013". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  14. Kate Taylor (2013-09-30). "Hobby Lobby Backtracks After Reportedly Refusing to Stock Jewish Holiday Goods". Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  15. Palmer, Jennifer (2013-10-04). "Hobby Lobby's President Steve Green responds to blogger's anti-Semitism claim". News OK. Retrieved 2013-10-09.

External links

Major corporations within the Oklahoma City metropolitan area
New York Stock Exchange listed
Nasdaq listed
Notable private companies
Law firms
Categories: